And along the sheep lines, a Texel half owned by Arnold Park of the renowned Drinkstone flock, Hawick won the top sheep award.

Mr Fairbairn, showed Mick - who the family have had since he was a foal - with his seven-year-old son, also John. He said: “We hadn’t shown horses for eight years, but my little boy said to me last year, ‘come on Dad, let’s do a show!’ We were going to compete in the driving classes, but we lost a horse during a foaling this week so we dusted off the decorations, and little John has done all the work. This is a wonderful end to a difficult week.”

A former Highland Show winner, the February 2012-born Limousin, Honey, by Rathconville Eugene, was bought for 20,000gns by the late Mr Brookes after taking the championship on Red Ladies Day, Carlisle last December. She heads next to the Royal Highland and Great Yorkshire shows.

Sheep interbreed judge Michael Aynsley of Wards Hill Cottage, Longframlington gave the nod to a three-shear Texel ram part owned by Arnold Park and J. and S. Wilkinson’s Langlands flock.

Mr Aynsley praised the champion’s tremendous carcase, length and character, adding he was full of solid meat.